GRATERFORD — A close call in its favor on the endline allowed Pope John Paul II to fend off a set point in the second set, the Golden Panthers using the reprieve to win the next two points and grab a 2-0 lead over Spring-Ford in Thursday night’s PAC girls volleyball championship match.
The Rams, however, did not back down, and in the third handed PJP II just its second set defeat of the season.
But the Golden Panthers were not going to be frazzled by the rare impediment in their bid to repeat as conference champs.
“We didn’t panic,” PJP II senior outside hitter Hutton Cordrey “We definitely settled and realized that we have to really push.”
The push came early in the fourth set, Pope John Paul II putting together a 12-3 run to take a 15-6 lead and from there held off Spring-Ford to defend its title with a 3-1 (25-22, 26-24, 20-25, 25-19) victory at Perkiomen Valley.
“It means a lot to us,” Cordrey said. “We know everyone’s kind of coming for us and I feel like we played really aggressively and we hustled for a lot and it just feels really good.”
The PAC championship is the eighth in program history for the Golden Panthers (20-0), who extended their winning streak to 46 matches and now prepare to make runs at the District 1 and PIAA Class 3A titles, having won both in 2022.
“It definitely means a lot because we had a lot of momentum in the beginning of the season,” junior outside hitter Maeve Gallagher said. “And now that we’re moving into postseason I think we’re really starting to push a lot harder and we’re trying to execute our side of the court a lot more.”
Spring-Ford (16-6) was swept 25-10, 25-18, 25-22 by the Golden Panthers in their first match Oct. 5. But playing in their first PAC final since 2016, the Rams hung close in the opening set — pulling even at 20 before a PJP II took the lead for good with a three-point burst – nearly tied the match in the second then joined Upper Merion as only other side to take a set off then Golden Panthers this year.
“They were taking a lot of really good back-row swings which we were prepared for but they were just basically insane from the back row,” Gallagher said. “And then our side I think we just — I don’t know, I think we took a lot better shots and we controlled a lot more spots really well.”
The Rams’ Lauren Angelucci had 14 kills, 11 digs and a block while Lila Olsen finished with 12 kills, 16 digs and three blocks. Alanna Bricker collected 28 digs and three assists with Dannica Fuller having 20 assists, eight digs and three kills.
“There’s a lot for this team to be proud of, even though it stings a little bit tonight,” Spring-Ford coach George Fuller said. “There’s a heck of a lot to be proud of.”
Spring-Ford is 15th in the District 1-4A rankings, which would give the Rams a first-round home match when the 24-team playoff – which qualifies five to the PIAA tournament — begins Tuesday.
Pope John Paul II is second in the 3A rankings behind Villa Maria. The eight-team tournament, with only the district champion advancing to states, also starts Tuesday.
PJP II raced out to a 14-7 advantage in the second set only for Spring-Ford to respond by taking the next seven points to knot things at 14 on a Marley Angelucci kill. The Rams took their first lead at 17-16 with an Olsen kill putting Spring-Ford up 19-17.
The Golden Panthers got even at 19 and had a 23-22 edge after a Cordrey kill but Spring-Ford won the next two for set point at 24-23.
A PJP II hit at the endline was ruled to be in, making it 24-all and Pope John Paull II secured the 2-0 match lead with blocks on the following two points to win the set 26-24.
“That’s what I tell ‘em all season long, I said one you got to play if it’s close, two we want our destiny and the outcome of our games to be in our hands,” George Fuller said. Those kinds of calls are going to go — sometimes they’re going to go for us, sometimes they’re going to go against us. But we’ve got to get past that and come back and get the next point.
“And that’s what we didn’t do. They tied that up and then they got the next two because we let that just stay in our heads.”
PJP II was up 14-11 in the third set but Spring-Ford took five of the next seven to tie things at 16. The Panthers had three one-point leads, the last a 19-18 before the Rams ripped off three straight to go ahead 21-19.
After a Pope John Paul II time out, a Cordrey kill made it 21-20 but Spring-Ford answered by taking the set’s final four points for a 25-20 victory.
“I think we’re a good, scrappy team that’ll go after everything,” George Fuller said. “And ultimately in that set that we took from them, even in some of the points that we lost, we were moving very well. Going after every ball, not letting balls hit the floor, not chirping at our teammates if they make a mistake.
“And we got a little bit away from that in the fourth set and unfortunately we let it get a little bit away from us.”
The Golden Panthers never trailed in the fourth set after a 5-0 run gave them a 7-3 lead. A 6-1 PJP II burst extended its advantage to 15-6.
“I think we played at a higher level for longer than Spring-Ford did,” Cordrey said. “And they did come for us a lot but I think we kind of settled our side down and supported each other.”
Spring-Ford whittled its deficit down to three after taking eight of the next 11 to get within 17-14. After a PJP II time out, Cordrey put down a kill and the Panthers followed with two more points to go up 20-14. They pushed the lead to eight at 23-15 and went on to earn a 25-19 set win to seal the match.
“We are humble enough to be able to realize they can come back at any time,” Gallagher said. “But we are able to push a lot harder once we get a few in a row.”
In the opening set, Pope John Paul II grabbed a 19-16 lead with a 5-1 run but Spring-Ford won the next three to pull even at 19. Tied again at 20, the Golden Panthers took the lead for good with three straight points. The Ram got to within 23-22 before PJP II took the next two – Gallagher’s kill capping a 25-22 victory.
